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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24072385">Cat's Cradle</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PersonOfSinterest/pseuds/PersonOfSinterest'>PersonOfSinterest</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Omens</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, but the prompt was given to me on fb, so like, this was originally a tumblr post, we vibin lol</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:00:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,118</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24072385</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PersonOfSinterest/pseuds/PersonOfSinterest</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Cat's Cradle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The town of Tadfield was a mostly ordinary town full of mostly ordinary people. I say ‘mostly,’ due to two specific anomalies; the bookkeeper, Mister Aziraphale, known for his kind demeanor and endless helpfulness, and Lady Antonia Crowley, a woman who’s as mysterious as she is beautiful. Her beauty captured the hearts of every man in town. Hardly a day went by without someone declaring their love for her, but she simply smiled, patted their cheek, and sauntered away.<br/>
After the fourth proposal in a single week, Lady Crowley called everyone to the center of town, with a covered basket in one hand, and a single key on a red ribbon in the other.<br/>
“Now,” she began, “I know you’re all absolutely infatuated with me, but there’s no way for me to love all of you.”<br/>
“I’m sure we could arrange something!” A man called out, causing nearly the entire crowd to laugh. A certain bookkeeper merely frowned, looking at the woman in the center of the group apologetically. Lady Crowley lowered her glasses, caught Aziraphale’s eye, and gave him a small smile before clearing her throat and holding up the ribbon. As the key caught the light, the crowd silenced again.<br/>
“Therefore, I have arranged a little test. Whoever can get <i>this<i> key, can have my hand in marriage. <i>However,”<i> she called a little louder to cease the group from chattering again, “the ribbon will be tied around the neck of my little darling, Bentley.”<br/>
Lady Crowley uncovered the basket to reveal a pitch-black cat with bright blue eyes. Bentley nuzzled against her hand and the woman smiled. “The contest shall begin at sundown. Whichever one brings my cat and my key to me shall have my love forever.”<br/>
She delicately looped the ribbon around the cat’s neck and bid the crowd farewell. Most men broke off, discussing ways to get their hands on the cat, but the bookkeeper simply waved a slightly awkward hand to the Lady. She smiled coyly at Aziraphale before turning and disappearing into her home. He returned to his bookshop, heart beating quicker than usual.<br/>
Just as Lady Crowley said, once the sun had set, the telltale ring of Bentley’s bell darted between the houses of Tadfield. Throughout the night, the sounds of men calling for the cat drifted throughout the town, followed shortly thereafter by the curses of failure. Aziraphale, not wanting to fight with the other men in town, settled for setting a dish of cream outside of the bookshop door (for he lived in the flat above it). The next day, when he had propped the door open, he noticed flecks of cream around the now-empty bowl. With a small smile, he took the dish and set it on his desk, making a mental note to refill it after his duties for the day were done.<br/>
Like the day before, the men of Tadfield rushed around in fruitless attempts to capture the cat. With the men hunting down the cat and the women banded together in their homes discussing Lady Crowley’s unique way of solving her ‘problem,’ Mister Aziraphale’s bookshop was emptier than it had been in a while, not that he minded. Having to discourage people from purchasing his collection on top of keeping everything clean and organized, he hardly had time to do any reading himself! So, he settled into his comfiest chair and began his latest literary adventure.<br/>
After nearly an hour, Mister Aziraphale, judging by the groans of frustration and the slamming of doors, figured that most townsfolk had given up for the day. He carefully marked his page, stood, and stretched, when his eyes met those of a black cat crouched in the doorway. Dangling from its neck was a brass key affixed to a red ribbon.<br/>
“Well, hello there, Mr. Bentley,” Aziraphale smiled, gently setting the book in his chair and kneeling down.<br/>
Bentley tilted his head, sitting down and looking between the man and his desk.<br/>
“Oh, goodness me, yes, of course, little one, I’m sorry!” Aziraphale stood and scurried to the back of the shop for the jar of cream. He filled the dish and set it in front of the cat before returning to his chair. <i>The poor thing must be tired of having so many strangers so close all the time. Best to let him have his space.<i><br/>
Carefully, Bentley padded to the dish, his golden eyes fixed on the bookkeeper, who simply smiled in return. After having his fill, Bentley meowed softly, almost seeming to smile at the bookkeeper. Aziraphale gave the cat a gentle smile, kneeling down to retrieve the dish. “I suppose I’ll see you tomorrow, friend. Get home safely, and...and would you mind terribly giving my regards to Lady Crowley?”<br/>
If the man hadn’t turned at exactly that moment, he wouldn’t have missed the small nod the cat gave as it darted out of the door.</i></i></i></i></i></i></p><p>
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            <i>For the next few weeks, that was life in Tadfield. The suitors chased the cat, and, to escape them, Bentley would seek asylum in Aziraphale’s shop. Over that time, Bentley would let Aziraphale place the dish closer and closer to himself, until one day, the bookkeeper was able to set the dish right next to his chair, and Bentley sauntered over with no hesitation. Having made a friend, Aziraphale was more than happy, but when Bentley finished his dish and hopped into the bookkeeper’s lap, he was over the moon.</i><br/>
“Oh, my dear boy, hello!” Aziraphale cooed, gently stroking Bentley between his ears. The cat purred happily, nuzzling into his hand, the key around his neck clicking dully against Aziraphale’s book.<br/>
The man reached out, still petting Bentley’s head. “Is it alright if I take this, dear boy? I’ve greatly enjoyed your company, of course, but I feel it might be even better if...if Lady Crowley was here as well.”<br/>
Bentley regarded him with wisdom far beyond that of any ordinary cat, before lowering his head and exposing the ribbon’s knot. Carefully, Aziraphale untied the ribbon and slid the key into his palm. “Thank you, my dear boy. I promise I’ll take wonderful care of her.”<br/>
Purring contentedly, Bentley stretched and hopped onto the floor, almost asking Aziraphale to follow him. The man, holding onto the key tightly, marked his page and stood. Bentley rubbed against Aziraphale’s leg before prancing out the door.<br/>
Anxiously fidgeting with the key, Aziraphale followed Bentley straight to Lady Crowley’s door. Bentley meowed before pushing through the small cat door. The bookkeeper straightened his tie before knocking.<br/>
Almost as if she was expecting him, Lady Crowley opened the door instantly, her golden eyes shining with pride.<br/>
“I knew it would be you.”</i>
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